San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-16


rested For Bringing silks
Across the
Bravo. .'
Il smuggling robbery This is q
question that has In every country IN.
der the sun that has laws and interna-
tional commerce treaties, puzzled the
plant consciences OF the people. mer.
chants, tradespeople and even the
average citizen. IL IL so natural to 70
over the lines bounding one country
from smother, buy the article or Articles
AZ its home value and-bring II home
With you. But why not bring II home
openly and In view OF all. Oh, the
things would be taken away from you
nv customs officersi hut why are the
customs officers therep Because the
government puts them there TO collect
the duties on JUST such goods and see
that none are smugkled over the
lines. Their the law, which up
holds the government, authorizes this
tax or duty TO be collected ut the port
Of entry, does itf Yea. Then II you
smuvgle goods without paying duty
thereon, IL IL illegslP Yes. The govern
ment and the law then. defines smug.
Cling as illegal, or In other words, rob-
berry from the government, and makes
smuggling crimef SmuRglers are
prosecuted and many times thrown Into
jail. But smuggling 10 done, neverthe-
less, AID often under the very eyes OF
their consent or tacit approval If they
have q share OF the profits. .7.H .r.aF :
A case which occurred some few
weeks ago. near ut home, SO near at
home (Ssn AntoDio) In fact. that II could
not fail to come under the knowledge OF
LIGHT reporter. A certain wealthy
family OF this city, standing high In the
social scale, members Of the church,
etc, is the one found out to have had q
smuggler In IL. but the gull
ty party, 1t seems, erred through
just such ignorance OF the law,
and through the common idea that
taking from the government all
you can get In the way Of avoiding pay
ment OF taxation 10 legitimate and COM
mendable This family. having friends
and relatives In q town on the Mexican
frontier sent their young and pretty
daughter on visit to them. She spent
some time with them. One day, party
OF ladies, acquaintance, whose husbands
were officers OF the United States gov
eminent fort near that place, took . trip
across the river to see the little Mexican
town on that side. While there, during
the day, the shops were visited, OF
course, and all were struck with the
oheapness Of the silks, satins and other
finerv, as compared with the prices paid
for the same goods In their own country.
Ii was JUST across the river home, and
what harm u they did buy q lot OF the
silks and fetch them home with them.
But they remembered the customs In
spectors, and then, to avoid detection,
they hit upon the scheme OF hiring .
Mexican to carry their goods across 10
his boat, while they crossed
by themselves. This was done once or
twice successfully, but at last The guard
along the river caught the Mexican with
his boat and his goods and were going
to put him 10 prison on the charge Of
smuggling, when 10 the frightened fell
low confessed who had hired him to do
these things. An investigation proved
the tru b Of bis confession, and he was
allowed to 90 free. No prosecution fol-
lowed, because the ladies had husbands
In powerful positions. and the govern
ment officials looked over 1t. Our young
lady heard Of the success Of her friends,
bur the denouement had not reached
her. She likewise made q visit across
and like wise purchased fine dresses,
but instead OF hiring them taken across.
she seoreted them under her clothing un-
til she stood filled out to almost twice
ner normal size. Then she returned
home, only to be met by the female GUS
toms inspector, who vowed she would
not weigh nearly as much as her looks
indicated and proposed that she submit
IT, a search for smuggled goods. The
girl resented this insult, but could not
avoid the search, as the alternative Of
gentleness or force was given her. She
WAS searched, and ofcourse exposed as q
violator Of the law In vain she pleaded
She was arrested and taken before U.
y. commissioner and he waived jurisdic-
ton In the matter. Then her relatives
secured her release on bond for her ap-
pearance and she returned home In COM
pany with an officer The case rests
mere until the trial comes up. The mat
ter has been kept quiet; very quiet, on
account OF the standing OF the parties
concerned and probably Of the further
exposure OF Others In the business. ,". /